Simulating the Impact of Sectorial Productivity Gains on Two Regional Economies: Key Sectors from a Supply Side Perspective

In this paper we simulate and analyse the economic impact that sectorial productivity gains have on two regional Spanish economies (Catalonia and Extremadura). In particular we study the quantitative effect that each sector’s productivity gain has on household welfare (real disposable income and equivalent variation), on the consumption price indices and factor relative prices, on real production (GDP) and on the government’s net income (net taxation revenues of social transfers to households). The analytical approach consists of a computable general equilibrium model, in which we assume perfect competition and cleared markets, including factor markets. All the parameters and exogenous variables of the model are calibrated by means of two social accounting matrices, one for each region under study. The results allow us to identify those sectors with the greatest impact on consumer welfare as the key sectors in the regional economies. Keywords: Productivity gains, key sectors, computable general equilibrium

Refinement criteria for global illumination using convex funcions

In several computer graphics areas, a refinement criterion is often needed to decide whether to goon or to stop sampling a signal. When the sampled values are homogeneous enough, we assume thatthey represent the signal fairly well and we do not need further refinement, otherwise more samples arerequired, possibly with adaptive subdivision of the domain. For this purpose, a criterion which is verysensitive to variability is necessary. In this paper, we present a family of discrimination measures, thef-divergences, meeting this requirement. These convex functions have been well studied and successfullyapplied to image processing and several areas of engineering. Two applications to global illuminationare shown: oracles for hierarchical radiosity and criteria for adaptive refinement in ray-tracing. Weobtain significantly better results than with classic criteria, showing that f-divergences are worth furtherinvestigation in computer graphics. Also a discrimination measure based on entropy of the samples forrefinement in ray-tracing is introduced. The recursive decomposition of entropy provides us with a naturalmethod to deal with the adaptive subdivision of the sampling region

Energy dispersive X-Ray fluorescence : measuring elements in solid and liquid matrices

The subject of this project is about “Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence ” (EDXRF).This technique can be used for a tremendous variety of elemental analysis applications.It provides one of the simplest, most accurate and most economic analytical methods for thedetermination of the chemical composition of many types of materials.The purposes of this project are:- To give some basic information about Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence.- To perform qualitative and quantitative analysis of different samples (water-dissolutions,powders, oils,..) in order to define the sensitivity and detection limits of the equipment.- To make a comprehensive and easy-to-use manual of the ‘ARL QUANT’X EnergyDispersive X-Ray Fluorescence’ apparatus

Revealing the dark side of traditional democracies in plurinational societies. The case of Catalonia and the Spanish “Estado de las Autonomías”

In this article, I firstly offer a synthesis of a brief set of analytical elements of the theory of democracy and federalism established in the recent debate which identify a number of flaws in the normative and institutional bases of plurinational democracies. It is necessary to overcome these flaws in order to achieve a true political and constitutional recognition and accommodation of the national pluralism of this kind of liberal democracies (section 1). Secondly, we will focus on the Spanish case of the “Estado de las Autonomías” taking into account the recent reform of the Catalan constitutional law (Estatut d’autonomia 2006) (section 2). A final section makes a number of concluding remarks relating the previously highlighted elements of the theory of democracy and federalism with the analysis of the Catalan case (section 3).

Los títulos de crédito como marco de la obra fílmica. Análisis en Un americano en París, West Side Story y El desprecio

Este trabajo de investigación plantea un paralelismo entre los marcos en pintura y lostítulos de crédito en cine. Se analizan los créditos de tres películas (Un americano en París, West Side Story y El desprecio) según sus características de indicación, frontera, límite, umbral al imaginario y marco de actividad. Las películas a las que acompañan pertenecen, a su vez, a diferentes medios de producción y jerarquía, aspectos tecnológicos, áreas estéticas y estructuras de emisión y recepción. Los tres marcos son, a su vez, marcos-objeto, marcos-límite, marcos-ventana y marcos-espejo. Se leen de manera centrípeta, entre dos mundos y desde fuera del marco. Para ello se parte de una metodología transdisciplinar basada en la hermenéutica, el análisis crítico de los textos audiovisuales, los estudios sobrela imagen y el marco como objeto social.

Comparació de les dues traduccions al català de This Side of Paradise

En aquest treball es fa una anàlisi de This Side of Paradise, de Scott Fitzgerald, enfocada a avaluar les traduccions catalanes. A continuació, es comparen les dues traduccions existents: una de Francesc Parcerisas (Aquest costat del paradís, 1984) i l’altra de Josep Maria Fulquet (En aquest costat del paradís, 2003).

Credit lines: The other side of corporate liquidity

In this paper we offer the first large sample evidence on the availability and usage ofcredit lines in U.S. public corporations and use it to re-examine the existing findings oncorporate liquidity. We show that the availability of credit lines is widespread and thataverage undrawn credit is of the same order of magnitude as cash holdings. We test thetrade-off theory of liquidity according to which firms target an optimum level of liquidity,computed as the sum of cash and undrawn credit lines. We provide support for the existenceof a liquidity target, but also show that the reasons why firms hold cash and credit linesare very different. While the precautionary motive explains well cash holdings, the optimumlevel of credit lines appears to be driven by the restrictions imposed by the credit line itself,in terms of stated purpose and covenants. In support to these findings, credit line drawdownsare associated with capital expenditures, acquisitions, and working capital.

Supply side interventions and redistribution

In this paper we study the welfare impact of alternative tax schemes on laborand capital. We evaluate the e_ect of lowering capital income taxes on thedistribution of wealth in a model with heterogeneous agents, restricting ourattention to policies with constant tax rates.We calibrate and simulate the economy; we find that lowering capital taxeshas two effects: i) it increases effciency in terms of aggregate production, andii) it redistributes wealth in favor of those agents with a low wage/wealth ratio.We find that the redistributive effect dominates, and that agents with a lowwage wealth ratio would experience a large loss in utility if capital income taxeswere eliminated.

GalaxyDefenders: desenvolupament d'un side-scrolling shooter per iOS

Aquest projecte neix del interés personal de l’autor per a la indústria dels videojocs. El principal objectiu de l’aplicació és esdevenir un joc complet mitjançant l’ús de tècniques clàssicament empleades en el desenvolupament de jocs en dues dimensions de manera que la experiència i tècniques adquirides sigui el més reutilitzable possible.

Application of a floating well concept to a latch-up-free, low-cost, smart power high-side switch technology

The aim of this brief is to present an original design methodology that permits implementing latch-up-free smart power circuits on a very simple, cost-effective technology. The basic concept used for this purpose is letting float the wells of the MOS transistors most susceptible to initiate latch-up.

Side scan sonar image and geologic interpretation of the Ria de Pontevedra seafloor (Galicia, NW Spain).

High-resolution side scan sonar has been used for mapping the seafloor of the Ría de Pontevedra. Four backscatter patterns have been mapped within the Ría: (1) Pattern with isolated reflections, correlated with granite and metamorphic outcrops and located close to the coastal prominence and Ons and Onza Islands. (2) Pattern of strong reflectivity usually located around the basement outcrops and near the coastline and produced by coarse-grained sediment. (3) Pattern of weak backscatter is correlated with fine sand to mud and comprising large areas in the central and deep part of the Ría, where the bottom currents are weak. It is generally featureless, except where pockmarks and anthropogenic features are present. (4) Patches of strong and weak backscatter are located in the boundary between coarse and fine-grained sediments and they are due to the effect of strong bottom currents. The presence of megaripples associated to both patterns of strong reflectivity and sedimentary patches indicate bedload transport of sediment during high energy conditions (storms). Side scan sonar records and supplementary bathymetry, bottom samples and hydrodynamic data reveal that the distribution of seafloor sediment is strongly related to oceanographic processes and the particular morphology and topography of the Ría.

Side-branch growth in two-dimensional dendrits. Part II: Phase-field model

The development of side-branching in solidifying dendrites in a regime of large values of the Peclet number is studied by means of a phase-field model. We have compared our numerical results with experiments of the preceding paper and we obtain good qualitative agreement. The growth rate of each side branch shows a power-law behavior from the early stages of its life. From their birth, branches which finally succeed in the competition process of side-branching development have a greater growth exponent than branches which are stopped. Coarsening of branches is entirely defined by their geometrical position relative to their dominant neighbors. The winner branches escape from the diffusive field of the main dendrite and become independent dendrites.

Five years of sleep apnea treatment with a mandibular advancement device. Side effects and technical complications

Objective: To determine the variation in prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD), other side effects, and technical complications during 5 years of sleep apnea treatment with a mandibular advancement device. Materials and Methods: Forty patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea received an adjustable appliance at 70% of the maximum protrusion. The protrusion was then progressively increased. TMD (diagnosed according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD), overjet, overbite, occlusal contacts, subjective side effects, and technical complications were recorded before and a mean of 14, 21, and 58 months after treatment and analyzed by the Wilcoxon test (P Less-than .05). Results: Fifteen patients still used the oral appliance at the 5-year follow-up, and no significant variation in TMD prevalence was observed. Subjective side effects were common, and a significant reduction was found in overjet, overbite, and in the number of occlusal contacts. Furthermore, the patients made a mean of 2.5 unscheduled dental visits per year and a mean of 0.8 appliance repairs/relines per year by a dental technician. The most frequent unscheduled visits were needed during the first year and were a result of acrylic breakage on the lateral telescopic attachment, poor retention, and other adjustments to improve comfort. Conclusions: Five-year oral appliance treatment does not affect TMD prevalence but is associated with permanent occlusal changes in most sleep apnea patients during the first 2 years. Patients seek several unscheduled visits, mainly because of technical complications.